Choosing the Best Shoes For Zumba?

I used to have a roommate that worked in a sports shop. She fit me for running shoes. My knees had been bothering me & she looked at how my current sneakers had worn down. By doing that, she told me "I needed a stabilizer" So the sneaker I got had very stiff ridges by the heels, which prevented my foot from sort of rolling.

It made a huge difference for my knees. That being said, really I would go to a sports shop and see if you can find a knowledgeable sales person. And yes I agree, the sneakers are very expensive but its cheaper than knee surgery! Take care & keep dancing

Are you allowed to go barefoot? I have experienced the happiest, healthiest feet in years since I have increased barefoot time. I found shoes that feel like barefoot to wear to work. If not, your best bet is probably shoes that are intended for court sports, they are designed for changes in direction and movements side to side.

If your town has a specialty store for runners, they can usually advise you on the right shoes for any purpose; and will watch you move and really measure your feet.

I concur with the advice already given. Go to a shoe store where the clerks actually know something about shoes, and feet are measured, and there are different kinds of shoes for different activities. I don't believe barefoot is the way to go for dance aerobics. It might be worth your while to go to a foot specialist and see what he says with regard to your sore knees and shins.

I don't think you should be experiencing any pain at all unless you have a pre-existing condition. Of course, here is Canada, cost is not a factor, so if it is, you may have equally good results in a good shoe store. I'd expect you would have to pay over $100 for good shoes, though. You get what you pay for. Look for sales.

@Jilson - I do go barefoot all the time at home and I also take bellydancing which is done barefooted. But I think I would need more support than that for these high impact classes.

To all, thanks for the good ideas. I will definitely mention the knee/shin pain to my doctor on my next visit (which I should arrange sooner than later).

My fitness instructor recommended New Balance as her favorite type of shoes and recommended that I never buy Nike but I'm sure that all shoe companies have their own advocates. I'll let you know what my shoe shopping adventures lead to and if I find a good brand of shoe for my feet.